In the production of single silicon crystals grown by the Czochralski (CZ) method, polycrystalline silicon is first melted within a crucible, such as a quartz crucible, of a crystal pulling device to form a silicon melt. The puller then lowers a seed crystal into the melt and slowly raises the seed crystal out of the melt. To produce a single, high quality crystal using this method, the temperature and the stability of the surface of the melt immediately adjacent to the ingot must be maintained substantially constant. Further, the melt temperature adjacent to the ingot must be maintained at a sufficiently high temperature to prevent the melt from prematurely solidifying. Prior systems for accomplishing this goal have not been completely satisfactory. Thus, there exists a need for a system that not only limits temperature fluctuations and surface disruptions in the melt immediately adjacent to the ingot, but also provides sufficient heat transfer to the melt adjacent to the ingot for maintaining the temperature of the melt.
This Background section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.